BYU’s Big Stage Test Reveals a Team Still Searching for Its Ceiling
The lights were bright, the stakes were high, and the moment was tailor-made for BYU to show the college basketball world it belongs among the sport’s elite. Instead, in a primetime ESPN “Big Monday” showdown against top-ranked Arizona, the Cougars fell just short - and in doing so, exposed some of the same issues that have quietly shadowed their season.
This wasn’t just another game. This was the biggest home matchup of head coach Kevin Young’s second season, a statement opportunity on a national stage, and a measuring stick for a program that’s invested heavily in talent through NIL deals, headlined by freshman phenoms AJ Dybantsa and Rob Wright III.
And for a few minutes late in the second half, it looked like BYU might pull off something special. Down by 19, the Cougars clawed their way back to within a single point, injecting life into the Marriott Center and turning what had been a controlled Arizona performance into a frantic finish. But the comeback stalled, and Arizona - as great teams do - closed the door.
Make no mistake: Losing to a team like Arizona, a legitimate national title contender, is no shame. The Wildcats have now knocked off six ranked teams, and BYU gave them all they could handle in the final stretch. But when you zoom out, the loss continues a pattern that’s becoming harder to ignore.
The Cougars have been dominant against the Big 12’s lower tier - teams like Utah and Arizona State haven’t posed much of a problem. But when the competition stiffens, the cracks in BYU’s foundation start to show.
Offensively, the Cougars can stagnate in big games. Against Arizona, the game plan often devolved into Dybantsa trying to create something out of nothing.
One game removed from dropping a BYU freshman-record 43 points on the Utes, Dybantsa struggled to find rhythm. He finished 6-of-24 from the field and missed five free throws - the kind of stat line that reflects both his immense responsibility and the burden of trying to carry a team against elite competition.
That’s not to say the effort wasn’t there. Dybantsa is a projected top NBA pick for a reason.
He’s explosive, fearless, and capable of taking over games. But when the offense becomes too reliant on him going one-on-one, it plays right into the hands of disciplined, athletic defenses like Arizona’s.
The final possession summed it up. Down by one, with the game on the line, Dybantsa never touched the ball.
Instead, Wright - the lightning-quick guard who’s already delivered clutch moments this season, including a game-winner at Madison Square Garden against Clemson - tried to muscle his way to the rim. His shot was promptly swatted away.
Wright, listed at 6-foot-1, can be electric getting into the lane, but he often struggles to finish over length. Arizona’s size and discipline made that a tough ask in crunch time.
Speaking of size - that’s another area where BYU is clearly lacking. Against physical, frontcourt-heavy teams, the Cougars’ thin rotation of big men becomes a glaring issue.
Keba Keita and midseason addition Abdullah Ahmed are the only true interior presences. Ahmed fouled out in just 10 minutes against Arizona, leaving BYU exposed inside.
Without another reliable big body, the Cougars are vulnerable against teams that can dominate the paint.
Coach Young has been clear: this team will “ride or die” with Dybantsa and Wright. And to be fair, that duo has delivered plenty of thrilling moments already this season. But as the calendar creeps toward February and the postseason inches closer, the question remains - is that enough?
BYU has the talent, the coaching, and the resources to compete. But if this team wants to make noise in March, it’ll need more than just flashes of brilliance from its stars. It’ll need better offensive balance, more reliable interior play, and the ability to close out games against the nation’s best.
The Cougars are close. But as Arizona reminded them on Monday night, “close” doesn’t cut it when you’re trying to reach the sport’s highest levels.